Blame crossovers and SUVs, but the Holden Commodore and Astra are going the way of the dodo, and will be withdrawn by the end of 2020.
Both cars will continue to be sold in their current guises to retail customers until the end of 2020 at the latest. Opel (now part of the PSA Group) has revealed facelifts for both models, with the updated Commodore possibly being made available to commercial clients.
All ZB Commodores and BK Astras sold from today will come with free servicing for the first 7 years. Don’t wait too long though as there will be “diminishing model availability as part of an orderly runout.”
When the Astra and Commodore are gone, Holden’s range will consist entirely of crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks.
“The decision to retire the Commodore nameplate has not been taken lightly by those who understand and acknowledge its proud heritage,” Kristian Aqualina, CEO of Holden, said.
“The large sedan was the cornerstone of Australian and New Zealand roads for decades. But now with more choice than ever before, customers are displaying a strong preference for the high driving position, functionality and versatility of SUVs and Utes.”
The Commodore was once Australia’s most popular car selling 100,000 units per year. This year it’ll be well under 8,000. The Astra isn’t doing much better in what is the most popular car segment in Australia.
